Lychee Tree

Lychee is an evergreen fruit tree from southern China and Southeast Asia, with a dense, rounded canopy and glossy foliage. Mature trees can grow large, while periodic pruning can keep a home-landscape tree more manageable. Its clusters of ripe fruit have a leathery red or pink skin and sweet, translucent flesh. ## Garden Use Grow lychee as a specimen tree where the climate is warm and subtropical, with enough room for its broad crown. The [UF/IFAS growing guide](https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG051/pdf) reports trees reaching about 40 feet, and notes that fruit may begin within three to five years after transplanting, although bearing can be unreliable. In Florida, fruit typically ripens from mid-May into early July, depending on cultivar. ## Growing Conditions Choose a sunny, well-drained location protected from strong winds. Water newly planted trees regularly while they establish; mature trees tolerate some dry periods. Lychee is sensitive to freezing weather: UF/IFAS reports that young trees can be damaged at 28–32°F and that longer exposure to colder temperatures may severely injure or kill larger trees. Its fruiting also depends on suitable subtropical conditions, so it is not a dependable fruit crop in cold regions. ## Maintenance Prune periodically to control size and shape, and avoid lawn irrigation that keeps the root zone excessively wet. A mulch or compost layer can benefit the surface roots; keep lawn equipment away from the trunk.